A regular three-month survey by Bulgaria’s National Statistical Institute (NSI) has found that consumer confidence in April 2019 was 0.7 percentage points lower than in January, brought down by opinions among the country’s urban population.

In January 2019, consumer confidence had been 1.9 percentage points higher than in October. In October 2018, it had dropped by 3.2 percentage points compared with July, after dropping by 0.6 percentage points compared with April 2018.

The NSI’s April 2019 poll found that those living in the cities in Bulgaria had a more negative view of the economic situation in the country over the past 12 months, while those in rural areas were less negative compared with the previous survey.

However, among both those living in the cities and the rural areas, their forecasts about the coming 12 months were more unfavourable, as a result of which the total balance indicator decreased by 2.1 percentage points.

In comparison with three months ago, consumers’ opinions about the financial situation of their households over the past 12 months and expectations for the next 12 months were more negative, the NSI said.

Optimism about the trend in unemployment over the coming 12 months had tempered, reducing the balance indicator by 4.4 percentage points.

Consumers continued to consider that over the past 12 months, there had been an increase in consumer prices in Bulgaria, but at a lower rate, compared to the assessments registered in January.

At the same time, consumers’ expectations about inflation were “less intense,” the NSI said.

The April 2019 poll found that there was some improvement among consumers about being able to make major purchases of durable goods.

The poll also found that among the rural population, there were slightly more positive opinions about being able to buy a car in the next 12 months, the NSI said./ibna